Various hand-operated cutting apparatus for cutting mat board used in picture framing are known in the art. Typically, such apparatus are used to cut apertures in the mat board utilizing a beveled edge cut. To this end, the mat board is positioned face down on a base board of the cutter and is held in that position by a clamping bar. The clamping bar is typically connected to a handle which is pivotally connected to the base board to permit opening and closing of the clamping bar relative to the base board. The clamping bar has a shaft on which a cutting head is connected and travels. Generally, the cutting head is permanently attached to the shaft and does not include interchangeable parts, with the exception of the blade, and does not permit ready adjustment relative to the type of cut or to the depth of the cut.
Examples of known hand-operated mat bevel cutting apparatus are provided by U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,380 issued to Lockwood and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,798,112, 4,867,023 and 4,871,156 issued to Kozyrski et al. Each includes a base board, a clamping bar, and a traveling cutting head.
Various other types of cuts are utilized by picture framers, designers, artists, photographers and the like. For example, decorative V-grooves are commonly cut into mat board; non-beveled or straight edge cuts are commonly used for trimming or other purposes on various types of sheet-like workpieces; and plates of glass or plastic used in frames require cutting and trimming. Typically, each type of cut requires use of a separate cutting apparatus. For instance, an example of a V-groove cutting apparatus is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,253 issued to Logan.
Cutting apparatus which can accomplish multiple types of cuts generally require overly complicated procedures for performing the cutting operations. For example, bevel cutters can be utilized to produce V-grooves in mat board. This is accomplished by facing the mat board face down and making a beveled cut completely through the mat board to create two separate mat board pieces, one surrounding the other. The center piece of mat board is positioned, by itself, face up on the cutter and its edges are trimmed so that its edges are provided with a reversed bevel. Thereafter, the center piece is then re-positioned face down within the surrounding piece of mat board and the two separate pieces are taped together with adhesive tape. Thus, when the front face of the mat board is viewed, it appears to have a V-groove cut therein.
While various ones of the mat board bevel cutters and V-groove cutters disclosed in the above referenced patents may function satisfactorily under certain circumstances, there is a need for a single cutting apparatus which is capable of making a variety of different types of cuts in a variety of different types of sheet-like workpieces. The cutting apparatus should have a cutting head assembly with interchangeable parts so that various types of cuts and depths of cuts can be accomplished. Each cut should not require overly complicated steps to accomplish; for example, V-groove cuts should not require complete severing, flipping, or taping of the mat board. The cutting apparatus should be capable of cutting mat board, cardboard, glass, plastic and like sheet-like materials commonly used in the picture framing industry. In addition, the cutting apparatus should be easy to use and capable of inexpensive manufacture.